This standing female figure originated in Tanagra, a Greek city on the border between Attica and Boeotia. The city's significance lies in its Hellenistic terracotta industry, which was famed for miniature sculptures. Numerous workshops found throughout the city and surrounding region specialized in elegant statuettes of draped women, known today as Tanagra figures. While the majority of these works were excavated from graves in Tanagra, some were also found at Alexandria and Myrina in Asia Minor. Most Tanagra figures date from the 4th to 2nd centuries BCE.

The production of these small works of art was relatively simple. Hand-molded terra-cotta figures were coated with a liquid white slip before firing, and many were then painted in naturalistic tints with watercolors. Wheaton's Tanagra figure wears a chiton, a typical garment worn by the ancient Greeks, similar to a Roman tunic. It consisted of an oblong piece of cloth wrapped around the body, open at one side, and belted at the waist. The two corners were fastened together by a clasp on one shoulder. Works similar to this figurine are found in museum and private collections around the world. The market for Tanagra figures grew so large in the 19th century that forgeries began to appear. Wheaton's sculpture, however, has been scientifically tested and proven to have been created more than 2,000 years ago.